Toy Pick of the Week

The Sunshine Symphony by Neurosmith. I originally received this toy from my Aunt when my son was born as I would have never bought such an elaborate looking toy. However, the Sunshine Symphony became an amazing friend to my newborn up through a year old. He loved the classical music and it served as a calming tool for him. He napped to the music and as he grew his first year, discovered all the tactile activities including a crinkle, squeak. beads and teether. This huggable, plush activity toy features 4 classical musical compositions, while sparkling lights flash! The toy is activated by a simple touch, and can also be used in a long-play lullaby mode. A versatile crib, floor or take-along toy with high-quality sound. This toy is worth every penny and now my newborn daughter has began to play with it too.

Desi's Book Pick of the Week

Cars & Trucks and Things that Go by Richard Scarry was published in 1974 and still remains a classic for any toddler's library. The boys especially love this book that illustrates everything from fire engines to silly pickle cars. The best part about this book is that you can read through the entire thing for a long evening of reading before bed or pick and choose the pages for a shorter story. We were recently at a county fair and my toddler's eyes lit up when he saw the Oscar Meyer hot dog car because we had just seen it in the Richard Scarry book and he couldn't believe a thing like that actually existed! As a game on the freeway, we point out ALL the different kinds of vehicles from the book making driving long distances more enjoyable...

Tea for Two

Can you tell we're researching food here this month at mamasnap? We think there's nothing quite as soothing as a nice hot cup of tea. According to a new Swedish study, there's nothing better for you either! Research shows that women who drink one cup of green or black tea a day are 24% less likely to develop ovarian cancer during their lifetime. (Two cups per day cut your risk by 46%!) Past studies have shown that green tea may help prevent rheumatoid arthritis and that black tea gives the cardiovascular system a boost. So pour a cup for you and a friend - and drink to your good health! Some tea we find fabulous is from serendipi Tea out of Long Island, NY. www.serendipititea.com (the chocolate varieties are divine!)

Toy Pick of the Week

Let's face it - kids are just messy, no matter how you slice it. Before I had a toddler I wondered why mom's would let their kids go out looking dishevled and dirty and now I know! It's all part of the exploration process as kids get older, but your house and your kid's clothing doesn't have to suffer. I've discovered all sorts of washable, no mess products on the market. My favorite products are from Crayola. My toddler wants to use paint 'like mommy' and washable paint is a genius invention. Crayola also has crayola crayons and little workbooks with pens that ONLY work inside the workbook - again - GENIUS! So let your toddler have some paint today and become the next Picasso!

More about time-outs....

Earlier this month we posted a blog about how to deal with your defiant child. I never thought it was possible but SOMEHOW my 2 1/2 year old went from being pretty bad to really bad. I was even told by her pre-school teacher yesterday that we needed to "talk" to her about listening and not screaming. Grrrrrrrreat. I am SO feeling like inadequate mom of the year. I remind myself that she IS only 2 1/2 and that most small little demons, I mean children, go through this. I just hope she is done with this stage soon.

I came across this article at Babycenter today-
http://parentcenter.babycenter.com/refcap/preschooler/pbehavior/65535.html?scid=pcbulletin:20060320:0:0:0
There is some good stuff on time-outs and how to have a successful one.

I try SO hard not to raise my voice but in the end I always seem to because my daughter just DOES NOT take me seriously at all. I am glad that she isn't afraid of me but it DOES make it tough to show who is boss....hopefully I am?

Lulu's Book Pick of the Week- 3/20/2006

“Babies are very little…soft, warm and cuddly. “ So begins this awesome book by Gyo Fujikawa. What I love most about this book are the illustrations that are cute and somewhat dated in feel. There are drawings of babies doing all sorts of things such as eating, laughing, bathing, chasing butterflies and doing “lots of things by themselves.”

Most illustrators of the 1960s were drawing mothers in aprons, fathers with pipes and only Anglo-Saxon children, Gyo Fujikawa was illustrating pictures books for young children and showing them in a very diverse world. She not only filled her picture books with children of other cultures, she used the everyday activities of young children to depict them successfully interacting together in meaningful play. Fujikawa’s work was a precursor for today’s emphasis on embracing ethnic diversity through children’s literature illustration. Gyo Fujikawa wrote over 40 children’s books in her lifetime. Fujikawa died in 1999 and since then, there's been a resurgence in her work.


“Babies” was first printed in 1963 and was put back into circulation in 1997. This book shows activities that all babies and toddlers can identify with. This book was really written FOR them. I love the portrayal of different races and the ease at which they all interact in the books. My daughter loved this book SO much that I actually went on EBay and bought more books by Gyo Fujikawa for her. Most of her books are out of print but these gems can be found! They aren’t SO easy to come by, but, they are worth the search. The illustrations really are so wonderful and funny and, again, the ethnic diversity in all of them is really great.

Babies is available from Amazon for $5.99 (love those cheapies!) And is a great book to give as a gift as well.
Also check out EBay for more books by Gyo Fujikawa!

March Music Pick

Putumayo's award-winning World Playground series of world music CDs for children travels to Africa, a continent rich in music and culture. What better way to learn about Africa then through music? This album contains 13 songs from 10 different countries each one with its own language and flavor. From traditional drumming to the ethereal harp-like sounds of the 28 string valiha, these are instruments and sounds that many American children may never have heard before. Likewise, the voices of the singers are incredibly varied, from stunning ensemble harmonies to joyous hoots, shouts and clicks. There’s the infectious start-and-stop syncopation of “Jambo Bwana” from Kenya; the rippling melody of “Barco di Papel” from Cape Verde; and our favorite "Battu" by Angelique Kidjo from Senegal which gets our Lulu smiling and dancing everytime (and sometimes even me when I have the energy!).
African Playground has been a favorite in our house since Lulu was born. Children and their families alike will love the upbeat rhythms and appealing melodies on this musical tour. Parents and educators will appreciate the accessibly presented cultural information and musical fun facts.
This CD has won several awards including the 2003 Parents’ Choice Gold Award and the "DiscoverySchool.com" 5-star Award of Excellence.
Those of you who like Disney or Barney's best hits will be surprised but not disappointed.

African Playground includes entertaining and informative multi-lingual liner notes, song lyrics, cultural information, a music glossary and colorful illustrations.

This is a great alternative to so called "children's music" and we here at mamasnap can guarantee that it will not make you crazy.
This is a must for the car or at home when you want to get the kids dancing for grandma.
Available from Amazon for $13.98

Desi's Book Pick of the Week 3/13

Ten Little Elvi by Laura J. Hansen and Duffy Grooms

What a great way to introduce Elvis to children! Although classed as a children's book, adults will be delighted with the clever verse that makes reference to 10 of Elvis' best songs and to Memphis, Vegas, Graceland and all the other Elvis trivia. The rhyming phrases make it fun to read and the pictures are bright showing lots of activity to encourage conversation with any child too young to read the book by themself. Oh, and it's a counting book! A definate must-have for any child or child-like fan of The King.

Toy Pick of the Week

We consider Melissa & Doug's puzzles to be staples of our kid's toybox and this week recommend the ABC peek a-boo puzzle. Each letter has a corresponding animal or object under the letter beginning with that letter. It's kept my two year old busy for days...which is good considering their attention spans...and as he gets older, we take the letter out and spell with them separately. Each puzzle is hand done and some of the puzzles make sounds when you put the pieces back in. Although we have to admit that we've let the batteries run out on some of the noisier puzzles because they're irritating and some have a tendancy to go off in the middle of the night for no reason at all which will freak out parents who already are not getting any sleep over here (True!). Nonetheless, we love Melissa and Doug's line, so check it out...

Hug Your Kids Today...Just Because.

A day later, we here at mamasnap still find ourselves thinking about the death of Dana Reeve at age 44 survived by her son, Will Reeve, 13. What a cruel twist of fate to lose two parents in two years. I found myself rooting for Dana Reeve when she announced that she had lung cancer just a year after losing her husband Christopher Reeve. I really thought she would beat it. She was young and had such resilience and a positive attitude - NO way could anyone possibly receive this much bad news in such a short time. I thought about my two kids and how young they are and what a heartbreak it would be if I came down with such a disease - so what do all paranoid parents do in 2006 when they get bad news? They search the internet for the BAD THING...in this case, lung cancer.

We have mammograms for breast cancer, colonoscopies for colon cancer and PSA tests for prostate cancer, but when it comes to lung cancer (the biggest killer of all), we aren't even sure who to screen. Dana Reeve didn't even smoke. Lung cancer kills 60 percent of its victims in the first year alone, and within five years, only 15 percent are living. We aren't very good at screening for this type of cancer, so by the time someone comes to their doctor because they are not feeling well, the cancer is often advanced.

Just so I can save you the trouble - here are the symptoms: difficulty breathing, coughing up blood, chest pain, loss of appetite, weight loss and general fatigue. Which basically could be a lot of different things. Some lung cancers do not cause any noticeable symptoms until they are quite advanced and have spread to other parts of the body. Lung cancers are sometimes first detected on routine chest x-rays, but the main method of dignosis is bronchoscopy (a tube scope in the lungs). 80% of lung cancers are caused by smoking, so if you are smoking, think about stopping. Think about your kids. They need you.

One thing's for sure, what Christopher Reeve did for spinal chord injury research, Dana Reeve might do for early detection for lung cancer. Maybe that was their purpose on Earth. It does make one stop and think. So breathe deep and hug your kids today...just because you can.

Source: www.aicr.org.uk / cnn.com

Snappy Mamas at the Oscars!

Is it me or were the mommies and mommies to be at the Oscars just STUNNING? Reese Witherspoon was so poised and looked like a princess. She sweetly acknowledged her children and said that Ava was allowed to stay up to watch. Michelle Williams looked beautiful, glamorous and radiant in canary yellow. OF COURSE-I kept wondering how she got so skinny so fast. She looked so at ease and how cute was Heath preening her before they walked the red carpet? Then there was Jennifer Garner who stumbled on her way to the podium and gracefully saved herself saying, “I do my own stunts.” She looked beautiful and did a great job of hiding her pregnancy weight- making the ol’ mammories a focal point. Best supporting Actress Rachel Weisz is 7 months pregnant and also looked amazing. And as always Uma looked like a goddess. I just found myself liking them all so much. Snaps to the mamas!

Lulu's Book Pick o' the Week 3/6/06

The Very Hungary Caterpillar
Written and illustrated by Eric Carle
1969
Ages: 2+

I always have a love for those classic stories that I had as a kid.....and ah hmmmm, George W., I WAS a kid when it was published...

In the light of the moon a little egg lay on a leaf." This is how Eric Carle begins this classic tale, "The Very Hungry Caterpillar". This book follows the ravenous caterpillar's path as he eats his way through one apple (and the pages of the book itself) on Monday, two pears on Tuesday, three plums on Wednesday, and so on, through a pickle, a cupcake and sausage - -until he is really fat and has a stomachache! Then the caterpillar makes a cocoon and becomes…A very pretty butterfly. The pages are strikingly bold and colorful and have the amazing collage art that Eric Carle is so well known for. The text is simple and clear- easy for your child to follow.
This is a great book for learning about counting, the days of the week, the evolution of a caterpillar to a butterfly and I suppose nutrition because he gets a tummy ache after eating a bunch of junk.
This book is available in all forms hardcover, softcover, board book, in small sizes and big sizes. We have the little boardbook which is easy to flip through at bedtime. This is a fun addition to your kid's library!
Whatever size you prefer, Amazon has it.
Priced from $8.46-$14.29 depending on the format.

Toy Pick o' the Week 3/3/06

Plan Toy Country Barn

Appropriate for 2 1/2 and up. I even play with it sometimes....

Dimensions: 12.1 x 10.1 x 11.8 inch

When we got this barn for Xmas I was skeptical about whether or not my 2 1/2 year old would like it. It has turned out to be one of her favorite toys. She absolutely ADORES it. She plays with every single day- pointing at it in the morning from her bed saying "McDonald, McDonald!"
Plan Toys motto is to make learning fun. Designed for ultimate safety, fun and education their products enhance creativity and imagination.
This 2 story barn with movable ladder, four fences, milk churn and sack of grain is a beautiful addition to any child'’s bedroom. It has a folding wall and skylight for easy access to the inside.
PlanToys products are the first and only toys in the world made of “preservative-free” rubber woods, including removing all sharp corners and edges for children’s greater safety. Painting the wooden toys with safe, non-toxic and child friendly colors in line with international standards, they are committed to protecting children.
The barn is made of wood and the roof is made from soft bendy foam. Plan Toys has all sorts of accessories one can buy to outfit the barn but we have ours filled with plastic animals. Old McDonald would be SO jealous!
Available through Amazon/ Imaginarium